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(No Model.)

W. G. BURTON. LIFE SAVING APPARATUS.

Patented Mar. 8, 1898.

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TVILLIAM G. BURTON, OF KINGSTON, JAMAICA.

LIFE-SAVING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 600,355, dated March 8, 1898.

Application filed June 10, 1897. Serial No. 640,154. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM G. BURTON, of Kingston, Jamaica, have invented anew and Improved Life-Savin g Apparatus, of which the following is a full,clear, and eXact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved life-saving apparatus more particularly designed for use on. marine Vessels to save sailors and other persons who may fall overboard, the apparatus being simple and durable in construction and easily manipulated to move it almost instantly into an active position.

The invention consists principally of a transversely-extending net supported at its upper end on the deck of the vessel and adapted to be thrown over the stern of the vessel to extend with its lower edge into the water below the keel of the vessel and with its sides beyond the sides of the vessel.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a plan view of the improvement as applied. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged rear end elevation of the same.

The improved life-saving apparatus is provided with a net A, of suitableconstruction and arranged transversely to the vessel at the stern thereof, the said net being secured at its upper end to a transverse beam 13, journaled in suitable bearings 0, attached to the top of the wheel-house D or other part of the vessel E. The lower end of the net A is secured to a beam F, provided at its middle with a link F, adapted to hook loosely upon a hook B, projecting from the beam B in a rearward direction, as plainly indicated in the drawings. The ends of the beam F are provided with eyes F through which extend loosely the rods F hinged to the sides of the vessel E and formed at their free ends with heads or knobs F to support the beam F when the net is thrown over the stern of the vessel and is in an extended position, as plainly indicated in Figs. 2 and 3.

From the beam F extend upwardly to the wheel-house D or other part of the vessel one or more rope ladders G, so that sailors or other persons caught in the net can climb up the said ladders back upon the vessel. The ladders G are inside of the net, as indicated in the drawings.

The beam B is normally held in such a position that the hook l3, engaged by the link F, extends upwardly, so as to securely hold the said link in place and the net in a folded position on the stern of the vessel E; but when the said beam B is released and turns in its bearings then the hook B swings downward, so as to release the link F to permit the beam F to drop over the stern of the vessel down into the water, carrying the net along, so that the said net extends transversely to the vessel into the water below the keel of the vessel and a suitable distance beyond the sides of the vessel, as indicated in the drawings.

The beam B is held normally in a locked position, but can be instantly released by a suitable mechanism under the control of the officer in charge of the bridge or by the man in charge of the Wheel, according to the nature of the vessel. For steamers the beam is controlled or released from the bridge, and for this purpose the said beam is provided with an upwardly-extending arm B pivotally connected by a link H with a bell-crank lever I, fulcrumed on the deck of the vessel, and connected by a rope J with an arm K, secured 011 a shaft K, journaled in suitable bearings near the bridge N of the vessel, the said shaft being provided with a second arm K connected by a link K with ahand-lever L, fulcrumed on the bridge and under the control of the officer in charge of the bridge.

Now when the lever L is thrown backward the beam B is allowed to swing so as to move the hook B downward to release the link F, whereby the net is freed and can drop downward, as previously explained.

Now it is evident that when a person falls overboard the party in charge of the lever L instantly moves the same to allow the net to drop into an active position, as previously explained, so that the person is readily caught by the net, and can then climb up the rope ladder G back to the deck of the vessel.

The beam B is preferably made in sections hinged together to permit of folding the end sections over onto the middle section, which latter only is journaled in the bearings G, as previously explained.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. A life-saving apparatus for marine vessels, comprising a net, a beam held transversely on the stern of the vessel and connected with the upper end of the net, a second beam secured to the lower end of the net, and means for removably connecting the beams with each other, substantially as shown and described.

2. A life-saving apparatus for marine vessels, comprising a net, a beam held transversely on the stern of the vessel and connected with the upper end of the net, a second beam secured to the lower end of the net, means for removably connecting the beams with each other, and a releasing device for disconnecting the said beams to permit the second beam to drop down into the water and carry the net 'along, substantially as shown and described.

3. A life -/saving apparatus, comprising a net, a beam adapted to be secured to the yessel and extending transversely thereof, the upper end of the net being attached to the said beam, and a second beam connected with the lower end of the said net, and guide-arms for the said second beam hinged to the sides of the vessel, substantially as shown and described.

4:. A life-saving apparatus for marine vessels, comprising a net extending transversely of the vessel and supported at its upper end on the deck of the vessel, the net being adapted to drop over the stern of the vessel to extend with its lower edge into the water below the keel of the vessel and with its sides be yond the sides of the vessel, and a rope ladder extending from the lower end of the net to the deck of the vessel, as set forth.

WILLIAM G. BURTON.

Witnesses:

W. BAGGETT GRAY, (J. EGERTON OLOUGH. 

